Ogun to generate electricity from 9 megawatts Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority’s hydro power plant 

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has disclosed that the state government is considering generating electricity from the 9 Megawatts hydro power plant, located within the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority.

The governor, who stated this during an on-the-spot assessment of facilities at the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority on Friday, said that his administration is already in alliance with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on the modalities for the takeover.

He said that taking over the hydro power plant will boost his administration’s plan to improve power supply across the state, as it would be merged with the 30 Megawatts power plant in Onijanganjangan, which, being gas-fired, would ensure that the state has the right energy mix.

Abiodun stated that the abandoned dam and hydro power plant, commissioned in 1983, represents stranded renewable energy that his administration intends to take advantage of.

He described the idea behind the establishment of the dam as noble, as it was meant to manage water outflow from neighbouring countries, local water tributaries, irrigation, power generation, and farming, among others.

The Governor also spoke on the need to turn the land around the River Basin into farm clusters to take advantage of the presence of water and irrigation for all-year farming seasons, in line with the Renewed Hope Food Initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, the vast land around the River Basin axis is also suitable for cattle farming, as cattle require water.

Abiodun applauded the forebears of the country for conceiving the project, stating, “This project is laudable, but just like many federal government ideas and projects, most times, you find them not sustained and not fully optimized, and this is no exception.”